"To Secure Effioienoy and Economy in Government" 

DETROIT BUREAU OF 
GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH. INC. 

lOOGRISWOLD STREET 



RSPORT 
on the 

HOME AND SCHOCI GARJiEr MOVEMEJ'T 
of the 
REGRBA'j.^ION 0CI»MI3SI0IJ 



Prepared by the 
Detroit Bureaii of Goverrmenttal Research. 
April, 1918. 



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RBPORT 
on the 
HOME AND SCHOOL GARDEN MOVEMENT 

of the 
RECREATION COMMISSION 



Prepared by the 
Detroit Bureau of Governmenttal Research. 
April, 1918. 



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n. of D. 



May 14 



1920 



NATING WASTE. AND 
TO SERVE AS AN INDEPENDENT. 



TRUSTEES ^"^ DETROIT bureau of COVERN- 

MENTAL RESEARCH IS ORGANIZED WITH A 

OTTO KtRCHNER. PRESIDENT ™° ™'-'' '•""'■OSE — 

EMORY W. CLARK. VICE-PRESIDENT DETROIT BUREAU OF .. to get things done for DETROU 

SIDNEY T. MILLER. 2ND VICE-PRESIDENT U C I T\^ I I DUIAt-rVU Wl THROUGH CO-OPERATION WITH PERSONS 

^o'sEPHTcRowLEr" GOVERNMENTAL RESEARCH, INC. rEN'c" ':nd°":"- " '"""""' "' 

EDWARD H. DOYLE 

NORVAL A. HAWKINS 100 GRISWOLD STREET non-partisan agency for keeping citi- 

r- i- icnks zens informed about the citys 

Tel. Main 1977 business 

eusene w. lewis business. 

homer warren 

(etroit trust co.. treasurer 
iNT D. UPSON. Director 

> 
U. 



April 17, 1919, 



To the Recreation Comrnissio.-i, 
City of Detroit, 



4 Gentlemen: 



At the request of Mayor Oscar 3. Marx, the 
Detroit Bureau of Governiioental Research has 
undertaken a study of the organization and 
administration of the Recreation Commission, 

As a part of this study there is transmitted 
herewith, a report on the Orfrpjaization and 
Administration of the Home and School Gar- 
den activity of the Recreation Commission. 



Very truly yours. 
Lent D. Upson, 

Director. 



The home and school garden movement is the promo- 
tion of the maintenance of gardens by school children, ■..'heie 
children have a plot of ground at hone available for garder 
purposes they are encoura-'i.'ec' to use such land, but in neigh- 
borhoods where children cannot have home gardens, a plot is 
made available for those desiring it, in a community ya.^0.e-'» 
In some instances community gardens are adjacent to or on 
school '<rounds and so are sometimes called school gardens. 
The method of operation is to organize those children who 
enlist for garden v;orlc into garden clubs. 

Detroit owes its home and school garden movement 
to the Twentieth Oentury Club, and to this group of \;omen 
the thanks of the city are --"ue for fcaiiding so conTnendable 
an institution. 

Up to 1913 the Twentieth Century Club bore all 
the expenses connected -uith promoting the coraiimnity garden 
idea among the school children and .;ith maintaining a num- 
ber of community gardens. In 1913 the Board of Education 
identified itself with the movement by appropriating O^SO 
annually, which amount sup. demented the funds of the Twen- 
tieth Century Club for the v/ork. The Board of Efucation 
continued to ap-^ro-'riate this money until 1915, when the 
"home and school gardens" v-^ere turned over to the Recrea- 
tion Commission imder whose ^''irection it has been carried 



on since that time. lirs, l-rosvsnor, v/ho for 5?eirs was 
one of t'le leaders in this ■.^'ork for fie Twontieth Century 
Club, has been employed by the x^ecreation Commission as 
head of its garden depart/.ient , and is still acting in 
that aapacity. 

The Twentieth Century Club has also been selling, 
at a nominal price, packages of seeds to the school chil- 
dren of Detroit, an enterprise which entails considerable 
vv'ork on the part of a large number of ^/omen in making u-- 
thousands of penny seed packages from seed be: ?ht in biull:. 



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PRESENT CRGaIJIZ-^TION OF C-lRDEN ./ORK 
Recreation Commission 

Nominally, the Recreation Commission is responsi- 
ble for the children's garden mo-'-ement in Detroit, hut 
actually the honors for the v/orl: done in the -oast seem to 
he divided hetween the Commission and citizen a^^encies, 
particularly the Twentieth Century Cluh. The gardening 
organization maintained by the Recreation Commission con- 
sists of a director of gardens, employed for the full year 
and such assistant directors employed during the s-ura'-^er 
months as the funds allow. The following tables giving the 
amounts of money appropriated and expended in the past two 
years* show the extent of the organization; 

Period Appropriation Expenditures 

July 1»1916 to July 1,1917 Salaries aSOO ,^1,335,00 

w'ages 212,11 

Supplies 700 490.00 

July 1,191? to July 1,1918 To April 1, 1918 

Salaries 02O85 994.50 

v/ages 310.80 

Supplies 800 218.25 

For the sujnmer of 1915 the "irector of gardens 
had two a.ssistants from liay thru Deptemher. In the summer 
of 1917, the director had three assistants eid for by the 
Recreation Comi'nission employed as fol.lov/s; one from July 1 
to September 15; one from July 16 to t^eptenbar 1, -\nC_ ohe 



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third from September 27 to October 15, \;''hich made practi- 
cally two assistants for the entire season. 

In addition to these assi stant directors of gar- 
dens, the play leaders organi2;ed garden clubs, having a 
total membership of 800 children, and supervised the gar- 
dens of these children two half days a week during the 
early part of the season, and one hr.lf day a v/eek after 
the summer playgrounds were oiened. 

There is no question of the value to be derived 
from takine: advantage of the play leaders' contact i/zith 
the children in the various neighbothoods to organize gar- 
den clubs and to stimulate interest in gardens; however, 
there is a question as to whether the play leaders as a 
class are qualified to supervise gardens, and to Rive in- 
struction adequate for obtaining maximum results. It is 
true that in the summer of 1917, a number of play leaders 
were remarkably successful with two gardens in their 
charge, but this circumstance was :^robably due to a deep 
interest and aptitude for the v;ork. As a rule gardens 
suffered because of the incidental araou-it of time v^hich 
could be given by play leaders to this part of their dutie,?^ 

To prepare themselves for garden supervision, the 
play leaders were supposed to atten-^ lectures on gardening 
given under the auspices of the Twentieth Century Club, 
but unfortunately the lectures were planned at siich times 
as to mate it impossible for the play leaders to attend 
without neglecting their regular duties. To meet the 






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situation the Recreation Commission organized its o\m classes 
before which Mrs. Grosvenor, Ilr. JEindcman and Kr, Burger 
lectured and gave demonostrations. 

There seems to have been an absence of hearty co- 
operation between the play leaders and garden departments 
of the Recreation Commission, or at least that intimacy of 
relationship which the common aim warranted did not exist 
betviJeen the two departments. Miss Sidney Bock, supervisor 
of playgrounds, who was responsible for coordinating the 
play leaders' efforts .vith those of the garden department, 
thought it advisable, under the circumstances, to transfer 
to Mrs. Grosvenor, the director of gardens, direct responsi- 
bility for the garden .^ork of the play leaders. This was 
done August 1, 1917. 

To all intents and purposes, the garden depart- 
ment has been an independent unit, planning and carrying 
out its vi/ork program without supervision or direction either 
from the Recreation Commission itself or from the Super- 
intendent of Recreation, It is evident from the an^'jual re- 
port of the garden department, that citizen organization, 
notably the Tv/entieth Century Club and the Detroit Branch 
of the National Plant, Flov/er and Fruit Guild, had a larger 
share in the home and school garden program for Detroit than 
did the Recreation Commission, 



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- 4 - 

Citizen Cooperation 

Foremost in cooperating with the Recreation Com- 
mission was the Twentieth Century Club which in 1917 "dis- 
trihuted 259,672 paclcages of flov.'er and vegetable seed to 
the public school children of Detroit at a penny a package. 
It also made a donation of approximately ^p6C Borth of flo;.'3r 
aiid vegetable seed to the Recreation Commission, furnished 
automobiles upon several occasions to make tours of garden 
inspect ion, and provided the salary of a garden supervisor 
to assist the director of gardens for a period of four 
months. In addition, the chairman, and members of the Home 
and School Garden Committee of the Twentieth Century Club 
served as an advisory council for the home and school gar- 
dens during the season. Also, they acted as judges of the 
childrens* vegetable contest" 

"The Detroit Branch of the National Plant, Flower 
and Fruit Guild in cooperation with the Twentieth Century 
Club and Extension Department of the Michigan Agricultural 
College maintained and conducted during the season a Pa- 
triotic Garden Bureau and Garden School for the benefit of 
garden teachers and the public who desired knowledge in 
modern scientific gardening". 

Another important cooperating factor in garden 
v;ork was Mr. E. C. Lindeman, state leader for boys' and 
girls' clubs. 

Cooperation of citizen bodies should be welcomed 
and encouraged in all public movemeiits, but the City of 



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Detroit is remiss in its duty when it depends upon the 
gratuitous and altruistic spirit of private agencies to 
carry on an activity which sho^ild be as universal as other 
activities in the schools or of the Recreation Commission. 

SCOPg OF WORK DOiYE 

As it stands now, the Ghildrens' Garden Movement 
is a minor factor both in the educational and social acti- 
vities of Detroit, which, except by the citizen bodies 
mentioned above, has not been seriously considered nor ap- 
preciated by the community at large. This situation is ei-- 
tirely due to the lack of aggressive interest on the part 
of the two city departments, the Board of Education and the 
Recreation Commission, •'..'hich should feel themselves responsi- 
ble for the promotion and extension of the movem.ent. The 
Board of Education, in a m.easure, had it as a part of its de- 
partment but beyond appropriating i;''i750 annually dl d nothing 
to further the garden idea, and .ihen the Recreation Comm.is- 
sion was organized transferred its responsibility to this 
body with apparent relief. Since 1914 under the Recreation 
Commission, the garden work, while receiving more money, 
obtained scant attention. Lack of funds cannot be given as 
a reason, because more money could undoubtedly have been ob- 
tained if a -urogram warra.nting it load been presented properly. 

In 1917 community gardens were rraintained in the 
following places by the garden department: Field, Lingeraan, 
Carstons, v/ingert and St. Aubins Schools; the I;.ertindale 



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- 6 - 
Normal Training School "botany classes; at the Rescue Home 
and the Kirby Avenue comnunity garden. The play leaders 
maintained gardens at the Gershon and G-ruesel Schools, the 
Detention Home, at Cass .^venue near Toledo and one on 3ald- 
V7in Avenue, A garden was also maintained hy the boys hotanv 
class at the Northern High, In all there were fourteen co - 
raunity gardens in Detroit in 1917, of -hich the "Tirhy garde'-' 
with 220 plots was the largest. 

The following suminary extracted fron the 1917 :.■;;-■ 

port of the garden department gives a more definite idea 

of how much was accomplished last jrear,, and hov; far reach;-? 

ing the work was: 

Total number of children enrolled for gardens 1315, 
Total nu)-nber of children caring for gardens 949'''" 
Total number of children completing all re- 
quirements 112 

Estimated V3lue of products raised $3558.75 
Amount of vegetaJiles and fruit canned at 

centers 883 qts. 

Estimated value of canned products $283.23 

Total value of all products, fresh canned !i:i3841.98 



No. of garden and canning clubs 17 members 355 

No. of club meetings during year 135 attendance 1854 

No. of field meetings during year 179 attendance 2758 

No. of demonstrations during year 173 attendance 2655 

No. of leaders training classes 18 attendance 345 

No, of other meetings 36 attendance 2447 

No. of canning centers 9 attendance 

No, of demonstrations 79 

*Cared for gardens all summer but did not v/rite. 

No criticism is offered as to the proficiency and 

effectiveness of the ..'ork actually done, nor of the benefits 



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- 7 - 

edLicational and social, accruing to the 1315 children en- 
rolled in the garden movemant. Criticism is due the Re- 
creation Commission, however, for this negligible percentage 
of Detroit's children engaged in garden work, after two 
summers' control of the moveraoat by the Commission, 

Com^oarisons vjith othar cities are not al\/ays a 
fair "basis for judgment, but a summary of the 1917 report 
of the City of Dayton, Ohio, indicates hov/ far Detroit is 
lagging behind in the home and school gardsn movemsnt, Day- 
ton had 3109 children's home gardens, 29 model school gar- 
dens in which 900 children were engaged and 2250 vacant 
lot gardens cared for by adulto, the last ilso under the 
same supervision as the children's gardens. 

it'Taether Detroit's shortcoming in this resi^ect is 
due entirely to a lacfe of interest on the part of the Re- 
creation Commission or to a lack of comprehensive organiz- 
ing ability on the part of the c'irector of garden^, it is 
difficult to state. It must be evident, however, that 
the home and school garden movement has missed such aggres- 
sive leadership as was and still is necessary to make it a 
seriotis part of the educational program for a large propor- 
tion of Detroit children. 

Gardsn supervision 

Undoubtedly the keystone of a successful garden season 
is adequate supervision. Per 1917 the supervising staff 
in addition to the director of gardens vi^as mads up as fol- 
lows: 

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1 - July 1 - Sept. 15 - Employed by Recreation CommissiOx: 

1 - July 16- Sept. 7 - Employed by Recreation Commissici- 

1 - Sept. 27- Oct. 15 - Srapl£)yed by Recreation Commission 

About 40 play leaders Employed by Recreation Commission 

1 - four months Employed by Tvi/entieth Century Clr'' 

2 - volunteers -* re^iar attendance 



Total number of visits to school gardens 288 

Total number of visits to home gardens 1165 

'*Each home garden received at least five visits" 

More than 300 children vveri; enrolled at the com- 
munity gardens leaving somewhat less than 1000 of the 1315 
engaged in gardening, enrolled as home gardeners. The tot:.:" 
number 0'2 visits, 116, to the home gardens was insufficient 
to bring about the best of results. 

The community gardens receiver' intensive super- 
vision, particularly the Kirby Garden, which had 220 chil- 
dren's plots, and upon which the Director of Gardens spent 
most of her time and the two volunteers all of their time. 

Sufficient funds were appropria;ted for 1917 to 
employ more supervisors, but inability to obtain them is 
given as the reason for not havin<? employed more. Up to 
April 1, 1918, ^^1305.30 of the -3,085 appropriated was 
spent for salaries and wages, leaving 0539.70 after deduct- 
ing the full salary of the director, which coTaild have been 
used last summer for hiring additional supervisory help. 

For 1918 there have been allowed thus far by the 
Board of Estimates, 5 assistant directors, for six months 
each, at "}eo per month, 10 assist-znt directors for four 
months at ';.';75 per month, and enough supervisors to do in- 






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- 9 - 

tensii'e v,/ork ,;ith 225 home gardens, assigning 150 gardens 
to each su-^ervisor. 

PROGRAM I OR TA'2 SmGIER OP J.^ 



.,'ith the granting oi an appropriation ior iiiteen 
assistant directors the plan® for this next sujnrner are na- 
turally more comprehensix'-e than at any .revious tine. Up 
to April 15, the director oi gardens and one assistant di- 
rector employed since April 1, hav^ j.n:: oiled 401 children: 
for home gardens, and sixteen play leadars repotte'-'' mt en- 
rollment of 490 children on April 16 as a result of one 
week's jorlc. 

It is planned this year to use play leaders only 
for enrolling children and for org^ni^ ng garden clubs. The. 
su:3ervision and instruction of garden work '.vill he turned 
over entirely to the garden department. 

a. course of lectures similar to that of other 
years has been started by the Twentieth Century Club, but 
up to the present time, April 15, the plav leaders cculd 
not attend because of the hour at w'hich the lectures are 
given. However, the Recreation Commission has organized 
its o\m course v/hich is given by the director of gardens. 



-.J- 



- 10 - 

G NSTRUG T I VB RSC 0^/DvlBN DAT I Oil S 
Admin i strati on 

It is recommended: 

That the Recreation Commission and the Superintendent 
of Recreation give the home and school garden move- 
ment thru its garden departraent the attention which 
the importance of this activity merits. 

The great value of instruction in gardening, es- 
pecially to city children, is recognized; and if 
it is worth carrying on for l;^ of the children c:" 
Detroit, it surely is v^orth v/hile to he carried " ' 
for a larger proportion of the children. The 
granting of fifteen assistant directors for this 
year affords an opportu^ie time to wage a vi'--oroi"i- 
campaign for the ertension of the movement and lo ■ 
placing it on a real basis. 

That tie Recreation Commission, -.-hiie the garden move- 
ment is v/ithin its jurisdiction, consider itself the 
sole agency, charged v/ith the responsihility for pro- 
motine; this movement; that it continue to \velcome cii-:- 
zen cooperation, but as subordinate and su.bject to tue 
policies of the Commission a,nd its authorized executiv? 

In instances where educational innovations were 
initiated by private agencies, the latter ceased 
being dominating factors \/hen the public agencies 
adopted such innovations and assumed responsibilit;; 
for them to the community, Kindergartens furnish 
a prominent example. The same should be triie of 
children's gardening, v;hich has passed the experi- 
mental stage and is recognized as worthy of Tjublic 
support. 

It is believed th ,t centralized responsibility for 
garden work in Detroit in the Recreation Commis- 
■sion ^^^ill clear up Bp t'hat seems to be a compli- 
cated situation :?,nd should prove beneficial to 
the garden movement. 



-11 - 

That awards bs q:iven for the best home gardens, 
as is now being done for community gardens. 
That inS':)ection tcu rs by interested private organi- 
zations be encouraged, 

ORG.IHIZA'JION 
It is recommended: 

That the superintendent of Recreation devote as 
much time to this \.'ork as is necessary to buildup 
an effective organization, and to roduce results 
commensurate v/ith the value of this activity. 

Heretofore little attention was given to the 
gard3n department by the Superintendent of 
Recreation. 

That all of the fifteen assistant directors super- 
vise gardens and instruct the children. 

It is now contemplated to use the five assistant 
directors, at ''iSO per month, as district super- 
visors, and the 10 assistant directors at ,)75 
per month, as instructors under the direction 
of these district ; supervisors. The organisa- 
tion, it is believed, is not large enough to 
warrant the employment of district su'iervisors. 

That the Director of Gardens spend all of her time 
in general supervision and direction of the v/ork, in- 
stead of doing intensive work at any one community gar- 
den. If found necessary, however, an assistant direct- 
or can at any time be assigned to aid in general super- 
vision. 

That an ad^e^uate system of records be installed. It 
is suggested that an individual record be kept for 



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- IE - 

each garden or garden plot and that a system of daily 

reports from assistant directors be inaugurated. 

The Detroit Bureau of Governmental Research v/ill 
be glad to aid in devising a repbrting and record- 
ing system. 

That no play leaders be used as supervisors of gar- 
dens unless they are taransferred as full time em- 
ployes of the garden departrient; that they be used 
exclusively in organizing and maintaining garden cli' 
aa ipart of their centers. 

TRANSFER OF GARDENS TO BOARD OF E1>UC.-.TI0N 

It is recomraenr'ed: 

That the children! s home and school garden moverusnt 

be transferred to the Board of Education of Detroit. 

It is believed by the Detroit Bureau of Govern- 
mental Research that this movement should be- 
come a part of the educational system and shotilc!, 
be extended as universally as js possible in a 
city like Detroit, However, a transfer is 
advised only \;hen the Board of Education is pre- 
pared to give gardening proper attention, even 
when it is not a popular v;ar measure. By this 
it is not meant that the Board of Education i;.i- 
mediately inject gardening into the curriculum 
and introduce it in all schools, but that the 
Board of Education should assume responsibility 
for promoting gardening as a part of the er^uca- 
tional system as r?,pidly as conditions permit. 



; 9 bt B35 



Ij'BRARY OF 



CONGRESS 



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